Building block lifter



Oct. 22, 1946. 1 F. A. DOSTAL BUILDING BLOCK LIFTER Filed June 20, 1945Patented Oct. 22, 1946 OFFICE BUILDING BLOCK LIFTER Frank A. Dostal, NewUlm, Minn.

Application June 20, 1945, Serial No. 600,483

4 Claims.

readily inserted into the openings of the block I and which may bereadily removed from said opening after the block has been lifted orcarried to the desired position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for the purposesabove described which will grip the block in such a tenacious mannerupon lifting of the handle, that it is impossible for the block to slipaway while being carried.

The above and other objects of my invention will become apparent fromthe following specification and the attached drawing.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like characters indicate like partsthroughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my novel device, inserted into one of theopenings of a conventional building block;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the block and lifter illustrated in Fig. 1,partly in elevation and partly in section, a portion thereof beingbroken away; and

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of my novel device.

Referring with more particularity to the drawing, the letter A indicatesa building block of the conventional type having a plurality of verticalopenings B therein.

My novel lifter has a shank portion I which is bent substantially atright angles at 2 to provide a handle portion 3. Fixed to the lower endof shank I is a gripping lug in the form of arectangular plate 4.

As will be observed, the shank I is secured to approximately the centerof gripping plate 4' so that a portion thereof projects downwardly andbackwardly under said handle at an obtuse angle with respect to saidshank, and a portion thereof extending upwardly and forwardly at anacute angle with respect to said shank I.

Fixed to the intermediate portion of said shank I and projectingsubstantially at right angles thereto in a direction under saidhandle'portion 3, is a stop lug 5.

Operation When it is desired to carry a block with this novel lifter, itis first advisable to turn the block so that the openings thereof are ina vertical position as illustrated in Figs 1 and 2. The shank portion Iwith the gripping plate 4 secured thereto are then inserted into openingB to a depth where the stop lug 5 rests upon the top surface of theblock as illustrated in Fig. 2. To facilitate insertion of the shank andgripping plate 4 into the opening B, the extreme outer end of handleportion 3 is lowered, thereby tending to put the gripping plate 4 in aposition more nearly approximating the vertical, thus bringing theforward and rearward edges of the gripping plate away from the sides ofthe opening B.

When the outer end of handle 3 is then lifted up, the gripping plate 4tends to straighten out, more nearly approximating the horizontal, tothe point where the extreme forward and rear edges thereof come intocontact with the side walls of the opening B of the block A.

It is obvious that the greater the weight of the block A, the more firmwill be the grip of the gripping plate 4 against the sides of the block.It will be readily appreciated that under such circumstances, it isvirtually impossible that there be any tendency of the block to slipaway from the gripping plate while the block is being transported.

Furthermore, the width of thegripping plate 4 provides a sufiicientlywide gripping surface against the walls of the opening B to assurefreedom of lateral rocking motion of the block A during the carryingoperation.

While I have shown and described a commercial structure of my invention,it is obvious that the same is subject to certain changes andmodifications all within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a lifting device for building blocks and the like, having verticalopenings therein, a shank bent substantially at right angles to providea, handle portion, and an enlarged gripping plate fixed to the lower endof said shank and extending backwardly under said handle at an obtuseangle to said shank.

2. In a lifting device for building blocks an the like, having verticalopenings therein, a shank bent substantially at right angles to providea handle portion, an enlarged gripping plate fixed to the lower end ofsaid shank and extending backwardly under said handle at an obtuse angleto said shank, and a stop lug fixed to the intermediate portion of saidshank and extending outwardly under said handle portion.

3. In a lifting device for building blocks and the like, having verticalopenings therein, a shank having its upper end bent at substantiallyright angles to provide a handle, a rectangular stop plate fixed to thelower end of said shank, a

4 portion of said plate extending backwardly under said handle at anobtuse angle to said shank and. a portion thereof extending forwardlyand upwardly at an acute angle to said shank.

4. In a lifting devise for building blocks and the like, having openingstherein, a shank having its upper end bent at substantially right anglesto provide a handle, a rectangular stop plate fixed to the lower end ofsaid shank, a portion of said plate extending backwardly under saidhandle at an obtuse angle to said shank and a portion thereof extendingforwardly and upwardly at an acute angle to said shank.

' FRANK A. DOSTAL.

